These hearty bars, packed with nuts, seeds and dried fruit, are perfect for a quick energy fix. They are ideal for lunchboxes or as after-school treats and contain plenty of natural goodness. You can omit some of the nuts, seeds or fruit, doubling up the quantities of others if you want to customize the recipe. Lexia raisins are extra-large Muscatel raisins and well worth looking out for.
a 30 x 20-cm/12 x 8-in deep-sided baking tin/pan, greased and base-lined
Makes 14 bars
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4.
Put the butter, coconut oil, sugar and syrup in a large saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is well mixed together. Pour in the cooled butter mixture and mix together.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin/pan and press down using the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the mixture feels firm to the touch. Let cool completely in the tin/pan then tip out onto a chopping board and cut into bars to serve.
These bars will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.